Make a Decision - High School


 
campus image Decisions, decisions, decisions! Now that you have finished with your self-assessment and career exploration activities, it is time for you to narrow down your options and make a decision.
This can be an intimidating task. Sometimes decisions can be as easy as choosing a TV channel or picking a flavor of ice cream. These decisions have little impact on the way you live your life. Other decisions have a bigger impact on your life so you may be hesitant to decide, feeling apprehensive that if you pick incorrectly you will consequently end up feeling less fulfilled or happy. Examples of these types of decisions include choosing a spouse and determining what you want to do with your life with regard to work.
Let's look at decision-making styles, tasks associated with the decision-making process, and some career myths that can interfere with effective decision making when it comes to selecting a major or choosing a career.

WHAT KIND OF A DECISION MAKER ARE YOU?

Decision-Making Styles

Not all individuals approach decision making in the same manner. There are different styles of decision making. There are "inner reliant" decision makers that take responsibility for their decisions and "outer reliant" decision makers who try and transfer the responsibility to others for their decisions. The following list identifies a number of different decision-making styles. As each of these styles is described, assess whether that style is "inner reliant" or "outer reliant." Examine your own style of decision making.
Impulsive Decider One who takes the first alternative that is presented: "Decide now; think later. Don't look before you leap."
Fatalistic Decider One who leaves the resolution of the decision up to the environment or fate: "Whatever will be will be."
Compliant Decider One who goes along with someone else's plan rather than making his or her own decision, especially when that plan doesn't agree with his or her beliefs: "If it's OK with you, it's OK with me. Anything you say."
Delaying Decider One who delays thought and action on a problem: "I'll think about it later."
Agonizing Decider One who spends much time and thought in gathering data and analyzing alternatives only to get lost amidst the data accumulated: "I can't make up my mind. I don't know what to do."
Intuitive Decider One who decides based on what is felt, but cannot be verbalized: "It feels right."
Paralytic Decider One who accepts the responsibility for decisions, but is unable to do much toward approaching it: "I know I should, but I just can't get with it. Can't face up to it."
Escapist Decider One who avoids a decision or makes up an answer to end the discussion. For example, if asked by a relative about what he or she is majoring in, this type (although still undecided, but considering teaching), would respond, "I'm thinking about pre-med." This allows the escapist to give a socially acceptable answer without taking responsibility.
Play-it-Safe Decider One who almost always picks the alternative with the perceived lowest level of risk: " I like anthropology, but I can get a job in accounting."
Planner One whose strategy is based on a rational approach with some balance between the cognitive and emotional: "I am the captain of my fate; I am the master of my soul."

(Dinklage, as referenced by www.byu.edu/ccc/Career_Planning/assistance/decision.htm)

If you are currently satisfied with your style, then congratulations! If you feel a need to make some changes, now is the time to begin. For example, the next time you are asked, "What would you like to do?" offer your opinion rather than avoiding a commitment. Ultimately, making decisions and taking a stand are ways of establishing your identity. Whenever you make statements about yourself (e.g. "I am majoring in nursing or I am joining the Peace Corps"), you define yourself.
Whether choosing a major, career path or deciding what to do about a job offer, the following 7-step career decision-making model will help you make your decision.

Career Decision-Making Model

Step 1: Identify the Decision to be Made

Before you begin gathering information, it is important that you have a clear understanding of what it is you are trying to decide. Some decisions you might be facing could include:

1. What will I choose for a college major?

2. What do I want to do after graduation?


Step 2: Know Yourself (Self-Assessment)

Before you begin exploring college majors and careers which will prove satisfying, you must first develop a true understanding of yourself: your skills, interests, values, and personality characteristics. Questions you may want to ask yourself are:
Skills:
1. What are my strengths and weaknesses?

2. What skills do I need to acquire?

Interests:

1. What am I interested in doing?

2. What activities have I enjoyed the most?

Values:

1. What is important to me in a career?

2. In what ways must I be challenged and rewarded?

Personality:

1. What personal qualities do I possess that will help me in the classroom?

2. How will my personal style influence my career choice?

In the "Self-assessment" section of this website, you learned about your interests. We encourage you to speak with your teachers, parents, and guidance counselor to further explore your skills and values and how they relate to your career plans.

Step 3: Begin Identifying Options (Career Exploration)

To continue gathering information and researching careers, you will need to start identifying options. Questions you might ask yourself at this point are:

1. At this point in time, what college majors and career paths am I considering?

2. What other types of options am I considering?

In the "Generate Options" section of this website, you identified Rutgers University majors and/or career options which related to your interests and personality style. Continue to brainstorm ideas of college majors and career plans for yourself. You have plenty of time to make career decisions at this point.

Step 4: Gather Information
If you completed the first three steps, you should have a list of majors and careers that you plan to explore and research in more depth. You will now:

1. Examine the information and resources you already have.

2. Seek out and utilize new information.
In the "Gather Information" section of this website, you found many links which provided in-depth information on Rutgers University majors and/or career options which related to your interests and personality style.

Step 5: Evaluate Options

If you have completed your career research, you are now ready to evaluate each of the options you have identified:

1. Identify the pros and cons of each college major/career.

2. Explore how each major/career relates to your interests, skills, and values.
4. Project the probable future consequences of each major or career choice.

Step 6: Select One of the Options

Based on the information you have gathered and analyzed, you should now be able to choose one of the options.

1. Do you have enough information to choose one option over another? If not, you might need to do more research .


Step 7: Make a Plan and Implement the Decision

Having chosen one of the options, you can begin developing and implementing a plan of action. Ask yourself:

1. What information or resources do you need to follow through on your decision?

2. What are the obstacles to implementing your decision and how can you overcome them?
 
Some Final Thoughts about Career Decision-Making

You need to monitor your decision so that you can assess whether you are achieving your goals. Reevaluating your decisions allows you to make adjustments and to see if your desired outcomes are being achieved. This does not mean that your initial decision was "bad." You may have learned more or things may have changed so that a different decision is required. Change is becoming a "constant" in our day and age. Everyone must be willing to reexamine, readjust and remain flexible. Reevaluation may lead to slight changes in your career choices or total revisions.

Should you find that you are unable to identify any college major or career options at this time, or if you are having problems with implementing your decision, we recommend you schedule an appointment to meet with your guidance counselor, as well as discuss your plans with your teachers, parents, or relatives.

At this point we encourage you to move to the last section of this online career planning site, "Next Steps."

Once you are finished with the site fill out our online evaluation. Your feedback will help us improve the site for future users.



Updated: 3/29/07

Still have questions?
Ask the Director

Send comments to:  
Rutgers University - CAREER SERVICES - New Brunswick